


A New Life

by Believer



Category: Night World - L. J. Smith
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-31 19:57:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8591530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Believer/pseuds/Believer
Summary: Sequel Till the End of Time. Happens far in the future and mostly centers around Ash and how he finds his soulmate again after many years once Mary-Lynnette passed on.





	

Sequel to Till the End of Time

The year was 2152 and Ash Redfern was a very unhappy vampire. His soulmate Mary-Lynnette Carter had died sixty-three years ago of old age. He was hoping she would be born again but you could never be sure. She had died at the age of 98, which was extremely old for a human. He had promised Mary-Lynnette just before she died that he would continue to work with Circle Daybreak and do good works for her and he had done as she had requested and been a good person—well basically anyway.

~~~A New Life~~~

Meanwhile in another part of the same city

Maria Cutler had just turned 17 a few months ago and was graduating that year, but she always felt something in her life was missing. Other people considered her strange she never went out to a basketball game or even had very many friends. She always had her head stuck in an astrology book and at night was always seen gazing at the stars though her telescope. She had, had her share of boyfriends of course, but they had always broken up after the first or second date, because Maria just knew they were not the right ones for her. Not to mention the fact that she kept having flashbacks about a girl with brown her that looked like her—kind of, but also about a boy with ash-blond hair and ever changing eyes. She felt as if she knew this boy although from where she did not know. She also felt this boy could tell her about her past, but she wasn’t even sure he actually existed. It was weird she had never used to like to gaze at the stars until she had turned 14 then she had begged her father to buy her a telescope for Christmas. He had thought it was a strange request, but even he had to admit it got a lot of use.   
Finally school ended for the day and the bell rang. Maria sighed and got up from her seat just as her best friend Lynn approached her. Lynn’s long hair was so blond it could almost be called white, but through it ran reddish highlights which gave her hair an almost shining silkiness, especially when standing in the sun. Maria sometimes felt so plain standing next to her beautiful friend that she wondered why Lynn even bothered to be friends with her. But when Maria had mentioned it to her, Lynn had told her she was very pretty just in a different way. Lynn’s face was what could be called exotic, with her slightly slanted gray eyes, straight nose and full, but slightly pouting lips. Her face was a sculptor’s dream. While Maria’s face with her blue eyes, slightly crooked nose and straight black hair was pretty she would never be as beautiful as her friend would.  
“Hi Lynn,” said Maria. Lynn was the only person that knew about her flashbacks and dreams. Not even her dad knew that she had been getting flashbacks since the day she had turned 17, not to mention the dreams. It was as if she had, had another life and those memories were leaking out. The only trouble being that she didn’t believe in reincarnation.   
“How’s it going Maria?” asked Lynn.   
Maria getting the meaning instantly said, “Pretty good.” Which; meant that she had not had any more dreams or flashbacks recently. It was their private code. If she had said terrible that would mean they would be talking later after they got home.  
“That’s good,” Lynn responded. The people watching shook their heads at the weird conversation, but neither Lynn nor Maria really cared what other people thought.  
Maria remembered the day she and Lynn had met. Lynn had just moved here from out of state and she had made no friends, because people considered her weird. What was weird anyway? Nobody knew, but her that Lynn could sometimes see things other people couldn’t, like a vision and if she was really mad cause stuff to happen. They were called the weird sisters behind their backs and there were rumors about them that just weren’t true. Maria snapped out of her thoughts when Lynn snapped her fingers in her ear. “Let’s get going we have a test tomorrow after all,” said Lynn.  
Maria nodded and followed Lynn out the door of the school and to Maria’s car.  
“So what were you thinking about?” asked Lynn, as Maria drove out of the student parking lot. Maria didn’t answer lost in her own thoughts. The cars nowadays were more hovercrafts then cars for they could hover in the sky. Well most of them anyway. Maria’s could only be driven along the ground for her car was what was considered a classic. It was a 20th century station wagon. They had stopped making ground cars about 50 years ago. And that was another thing Maria was laughed at for, for having an old antique of a car and not one of the newer models. The thing was she had fallen in love with this car from the moment she had seen it and when the car salesman had found out what she had wanted he had laughed at her and given it to her for almost nothing. Saying if she could fix it she could have it and Maria had surprised not only the salesman, but her father as well by fixing it and having it running so smoothly it was purring like a kitten in no time. The car had just been sitting in the back of the lot going nowhere and it had been there for years. The company had never gotten rid of it for sentimental reasons. The only thing was she was not sure how she had fixed it all she could remember was following her instincts and nothing else. She could have had the car converted into a hovercraft of course, her dad had even offered to have the work done, but she had refused she wasn’t sure why. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted as she heard her name being called. “Maria, Maria,” called Lynn.  
Maria shook her head and turned to look at Lynn. “What?” she asked.  
“Man your thoughts were a million miles away,” said Lynn. “I’ve been calling your name for five minutes.”  
“Sorry I was just thinking,” said Maria.  
“Yes I’ve noticed you lost in your thoughts a lot lately. What’s going on?”  
“I’ll tell you later I need to get my thoughts sorted out first,” said Maria.  
“All right but I’m holding you to that,” said Lynn, shaking her finger at Maria in a joking gesture. Maria nodded and continued to drive. A few minutes later they reached Maria’s house where they both entered and headed to Maria’s room to talk and study. “Hi dad,” Maria called as she saw him in the den.  
“Hi sweetheart,” answered her dad, Fred Cutler. “You and Lynn; going to your room to study?”  
“Yes we have a test tomorrow,” answered Maria.  
“Okay I’ll bring some snacks up later,” said Fred Cutler.  
“Thanks dad,” answered Maria as she walked past the den and up the stairs to her room, Lynn following. Her dad was the kind of dad most children dreamed of. He let her do basically what she wanted as long as she kept her grades up in school and didn’t get into drugs or anything. The only problem was there; was only her dad and her. Her mother had died when she was about ten and her dad had never remarried. So he had been raising his daughter on his own. Her dad was also a great cook unlike most fathers who could burn water without even trying. The Cutler family was considered weird among other things and they were not invited to many social functions because of it. One of the reasons why they were considered so weird or at least her father was because of the fact that he gave her mostly free rein to do as she pleased as long as she kept out of trouble.   
The rest of the parents thought children needed rules and regulations to live by, but her father didn’t believe in all that junk especially now that she was old enough to make her own decisions. And he had been proven right even if the parents wouldn’t admit it.  
“So what’s been on your mind lately?” asked Lynn, curiously.  
“I know I’ve been a bit distracted and I’m sorry.”  
“Distracted? You call me saying your name for five minutes distracted?” Lynn asked her friend incredibly. “I say you were totally out of it.”  
Maria grinned slightly at her best friend’s outburst and then started to laugh. Lynn looked surprised for a minute then joined in. When the laughter finally died Maria said, “Remember when I told you that we got my car for almost nothing because it was so old?” When Lynn nodded she continued. “Well the one thing I didn’t tell you was that the only reason he gave it to us so cheaply was because it wasn’t working at the time. He challenged me to fix it. He said if I could fix it I could have it. Well I not only fixed it, I had it purring like a kitten in no time.”  
“But how did you fix it?” Lynn asked in astonishment. “You don’t know anything about car engines.”  
“See you know that and I know that, but it was as if in a past life I had, had to fix a car engine at one point or another and my past self was telling me how to do it. I so surprised my father he practically had a heart attack and then he was grinning from ear to ear he was so proud of me. And the salesman practically fainted,” said Maria with a grin remembering the salesman’s expression.  
“Don’t tell me you believe in reincarnation,” said Lynn, seriously looking at her friend curiously wondering what her answer would be.  
“You know I don’t, but sometimes I wonder—” said Maria, thoughtfully.  
“Have you had anymore dreams lately?” asked Lynn.  
“Not really except one or two, but nothing major.” After that all was silent for a while as they studied for their test tomorrow.

~~~A New Life~~~ 

Half an hour later there came a knock on the door.

“Enter,” said Maria looking up from her textbook. The door opened and her father stepped into the room with a tray full of brownies.  
Lynn looked up as she smelled chocolate and her eyes lit up like candle flames when she saw the brownies. “Yum,” said Lynn. “You always make the best brownies of any one in town Mr. Cutler.”  
“Why thank you Lynn,” He put the plate on the edge of the dresser then left them to their studying. Lynn was on the brownies as soon as the door had closed and she started gobbling down like there was no tomorrow.   
“Hey save some for me,” said Maria in amusement as she watched her friend eat.  
Lynn handed her the plate sheepishly her cheeks turning a beet red. “I’m sorry, but I never get brownies like this at home. Why do you think I’m over here so much, my mom is a health food freak and she absolutely does not, believe in chocolate.”  
“I know,” said Maria, her amusement showing in her expression. “But you are going to make yourself sick, either that or you are going to gain so much weight you’ll look like the blimp.”  
When Lynn’s expression turned from one of glee to one of horror Maria couldn’t resist any longer and laughed out loud. Lynn looked insulted for a minute then joined in for laughter is sometimes the best medicine in the universe.

~~~A New Life~~~

The next day

Maria awoke to the sound of her alarm clock going off. She groaned and pushed the snooze button. 7 minutes later it went off and Maria groaned again, but this time rose and slowly got out of bed. She and Lynn had both been up late studying. She just hoped she at least passed that test for it counted as fifty percent of her grade. Just that one test could pass or fail her for the entire grading period. Maria just wished for the day to be over. Maria hopped into her car a few minutes later and went to pick up Lynn. What she didn’t notice was that she was being followed. “So how’s it going?” asked Lynn as she threw her book bag in the back seat and climbed in the front. “I had another dream last night,” said Maria as she drove.  
“Oh what was the dream about?” asked Lynn.  
“Well it was like this,” said Maria slowly. “There was this brown hair girl. She looks kinda like me and then there was the ash-blond haired boy I’ve dreamed about almost every night since I turned 17. There was also this other boy with dark hair and he and the other girl look like sister and brother. I can’t shake the feeling that I know him. Now here’s the weird part. The boy got into a fight with a wolf and the girl came to his rescue with a silver letter opener—silver against a wolf? And the other weird thing is I don’t know if I’m going crazy or what, but the wolf had a glint of intelligence in its eyes.” Maria finished just as they pulled up to the school.  
“Maybe it was a werewolf,” said Lynn only half jokingly.  
“Oh come on werewolves don’t exist,” said Maria. But she didn’t say it with utter conviction for somehow the words rang to true. For if werewolves existed did vampires exist as well? One thing she had never told Lynn was that the ash-blond haired boy-no man she corrected herself was exceptionally handsome. Maria and Lynn entered their first class together just as the bell rang and sat down.  
The teacher passed out the tests and Maria tried to concentrate on hers, but it was difficult she could not stop thinking about the ash-blond haired boy. She had to solve this mystery or it would drive her insane. Who was the boy that could get this kind of response out of her? She felt as if she knew him, intimately.   
Finally one hour later the test ended and Maria just hoped she had at least passed it or she would fail the class. After the first test of the day the rest of the day seemed to go maddeningly slow. Finally after what seemed like an eternity it was over.  
Lynn and Maria left the school together and headed towards Maria’s car. “I’ll take you home then I’m going someplace,” said Maria.  
“Let me come with you,” said Lynn looking at her friend worriedly, afraid she was going to do something extremely stupid.  
“No this is something I need to do alone,” answered her friend almost sadly.  
Her friend nodded not understanding her reasons, but complying anyway. 

~~~A New Life~~~

A few minutes later Maria dropped by her house and told her dad she was going for a drive and didn’t know what time she would be home.  
Since tomorrow was Saturday she didn’t have any particular time she needed to be home. “Okay honey, don’t come in too late,” said her dad.  
“I won’t dad,” answered Maria. Maria left and started the car. She needed to go somewhere where she could think without being interrupted. She had to solve this mystery before it drove her crazy. She drove to the beach and just sat in her car thinking for more the half an hour. Finally she got out, locked the doors and walked along the beach. The night was warm and there was a slight breeze blowing. Maria walked for what seemed like forever trying to sort her thoughts out. She knew there was something about her that was strange, but what she didn’t know what.

~~~A New Life~~~

Ash parked his car and got out. He headed for the beach wanting to walk along the shore. Mary-Lynnette had used to love to come to the beach and walk along it with him, holding hands and kissing. Sometimes she had brought her telescope to gaze at the stars. How he missed her. Sometimes he missed her so much it hurt. He sighed unaware that anybody else was on the beach, but him. 

~~~A New Life~~~

Maria unaware that anybody was following her gasped in surprise as someone grabbed her from behind. “You’re mine now girlie,” whispered a voice in her ear.  
Maria who had stiffened asked, “What is it you want?”  
“You,” answered the voice roughly as he held a knife to her throat.  
Maria tried to scream, but the hand on her mouth was clasped to tightly for her to do anything, but talk softly. Suddenly all the terror of having a knife held at her throat finally broke the last barriers in her mind and her memories of her other life came flooding back. She remembered her other life, her father, Claudine and her brother Mark. She remembered her name used to be Mary-Lynnette. She remembered Kestrel, Rowan and Jade the three sisters that had come to live in Briar’s Creek with their grandmother whom had been murdered before they had ever arrived. She remembered that all three of them were vampires and for some reason that did not frighten her. And finally she remembered Ash her soulmate whom she could actually sense was not all that far away. Ash! She screamed mentally. Followed by; an extremely loud, wordless mental yell.

~~~A New Life~~~

Ash! Ash looked up suddenly when he heard his name unaware at first that the scream had been telepathic. It took him a moment to realize it was a woman’s mental voice calling his name. Could it be? Ash thought. Could it be Mary-Lynnette be down the beach being attacked? Could she have been reborn again after all? All of this raced through Ash’s head in an instant as he ran down the beach. What Ash saw made him mad as hell a werewolf was attacking what looked like a seventeen-year-old girl. Ash couldn’t tell what she looked like in the dark but he was almost certain it was his soulmate. He knew deep in his soul that something had made him come to the beach tonight instead of going back to his hotel. “You let go of her,” said Ash in a furious voice. The werewolf looked up noticing Ash for the first time. He dropped the girl to the ground and came towards Ash. But Ash was ready for him. He quickly bared his fangs and as the werewolf tried to grab him in a crushing grip, but Ash sidestepped and punched his adversary in the face. The blow was so powerful that it knocked the werewolf down on one knee with a broken nose. The werewolf rose slowly; and asked, “Why do you care about this human anyway?”  
“That is none of your concern,” answered Ash, throwing another punch at the werewolf. Finally the werewolf decided the girl was not worth the fight and slunk off with his tail between his legs leaving Ash and the girl behind. Ash as soon as the werewolf was gone gently dropped to his knees beside the unconscious girl checking for a pulse. He found one and as soon as bare skin, touched bare skin it was almost like, an electrical spark jumped from her neck and onto his fingers. He gave a little gasp as the spark touched his skin and he couldn’t keep himself from grinning. He gently picked the unconscious girl up and carried her to his car. There he laid her down on the seat waiting for her to wake up, kneeling beside her on the sand. He was that much happier then he had been in a long time that was for certain. He had found her at last. As he was thinking this Maria’s eyes began to flutter and Ash’s heart skipped a beat when he saw it. But suddenly he began to feel self-conscience. Would Mary remember him? He had no idea. All he knew was that he had found her. Suddenly Maria’s eyes snapped opened and she looked around the unfamiliar car slowly until they finally fell on Ash’s face. She sat upright all her memories flooding back including those of her other life.  
“Ash,” she said quietly.  
Ash’s eyes changed from black to gold to green all in an instant. “You remember my name what else do you remember?” asked Ash.  
“I remember that we are . . .” Maria came up with the word slowly, “Soulmates, meant to be together down the ages.”  
“Yes,” said Ash, grinning so widely that it almost split his face in two.  
“And I remember that you are a vampire,” said Maria.  
“And that doesn’t scare you?” asked Ash.  
“No for some reason that doesn’t scare me,” said Maria. “Thank you for rescuing me by the way.”  
“It was my pleasure,” said Ash, kissing her hand. “Something brought me out to this beach tonight. I don’t know if it was fate or what. I just know it used to be one of Mary-Lynnette’s and mine favorite things to do. She used to. . .”   
Before Ash could finish the sentence Maria finished it for him, “She used to like to bring her telescope and look at the stars.”  
“Yeah,” said Ash. “How. . .” He let his sentence trail off.  
“When that werewolf attacked me it was if the last barrier in my mind was broken and I remembered almost everything about my other life. It’s good to see you Ash,” said Maria, quietly, touching his face gently with her fingertips causing tiny sparks to ignite where she traced the outline of his jaw, then his cheekbones and finally his lips. He groaned in pleasure her touch caused him. Then Maria leaned over and kissed his lips gently and he responded in kind. The kiss lasted for a long time for they had not seen each other in over sixty years and they both needed each other desperately.  
Finally they broke apart and Ash made love to her right there in the sand. By the time they were done it was full dark and getting quite late. “I have to go Ash it’s going to take me an hour to get home as it is.”   
Ash nodded and kissed her goodbye. “Here’s the name of the hotel where I am staying and the number. Call me,” said Ash.  
“You know I will,” said Maria. “Besides, I’ll see you tomorrow.”  
“You will?” asked Ash, sounding eager.  
“Yes silly, tomorrow is a Saturday I don’t have school,” said Maria. Ash walked Maria to her car and opened the door gallantly for her.   
He looked the car then and his eyes got that far away look. “This car brings back so many memories,” said Ash. “Mary-Lynnette used to own one just like it.”  
“I know remind me to tell you sometime how I came by this car,” said Maria an almost wishful expression in her eyes. As Maria got behind the wheel Ash silently slipped a black iris pin onto her finger, “What’s this for?” asked Maria, looking at it curiously.  
“For protection,” said Ash, simply.  
“Oh,” said Maria, studying it intently. After that Maria drove home thinking of Ash the whole way there.  
It was well after midnight when she got there and she snuck into the house as quietly as she could to find her dad asleep in the chair. Maria shook him gently, touched that he had waited up for her. Her dad awoke with a start to see Maria standing over him. “Time to go to bed dad,” said Maria, gently helping him to his feet. “You didn’t have to wait up for me you know.”  
“Who, said I was waiting up? I just fell asleep in the chair that’s all,” said her dad, gruffly.  
Maria grinned to herself and said, “Whatever you say dad.” She helped him up to bed and then she went to bed for she was dead tired, no joke, intended.

~~~A New Life~~~

It was after ten when she awoke the next morning and the first thing she thought about as she opened her eyes was calling Ash. She dialed the hotel’s number quickly and got an answer on the second ring. It was the twenty first century so all the phones had video screens. “May I help you,” asked the voice on the other end of the screen.   
“Yes would you please ring Ash Redfern’s room for me please?” asked Maria, politely, anxious to talk to him.  
“One moment please,” said the operator, on the screen.  
A second later the phone started to ring and was picked up almost immediately. “Hello,” said Ash’s voice on the other end of the line. It sounded a bit anxious to Maria’s ears.  
“Hi Ash,” said Maria.   
“Maria it’s about time you called!” exclaimed Ash on the other end of the line. He looked the same as he had 63 years ago Maria observed. Same ash-blond hair, same eyes, that seemed to change constantly, same grace of movement. He hadn’t changed much over the years Maria decided at least not on the outside. It was what was inside that counted.  
“Well sorry, but I just woke up five minutes ago,” said Maria, a bit sarcastically.  
“Okay, okay,” said Ash, just happy to hear from her.  
“I’ll meet in say an hour at your hotel,” said Maria. “Have breakfast ready.”  
“Okay,” said Ash, agreed quickly. When he hung up he called room service and ordered breakfast for Maria. 

~~~A New Life~~~

Maria’s car pulled into the hotel parking lot and parked. She got out, locked the doors and headed for the lobby. “Can I help you miss?” asked the doorman trying not to snicker at the ancient car she had pulled up in.  
“Yes I’m here to see Ash Redfern,” answered Maria, politely.  
“Is he expecting you?” asked the doorman, for her could hardly believe someone as wealthy as Ash Redfern would go out with her class of people.  
“Yes he is,” answered a voice from behind the doorman. The doorman moved out of the way as Ash exited the building. He hugged Maria, kissed her gently and as soon as he touched her sparks flew. He then led her into the building. The hotel he was staying at was one of the fanciest hotels in town. The carpet was a rich royal blue and extremely thick. The wallpaper was also blue, but lighter and had red flowers all over it. The desk at the end of the lobby was made out of a solid piece of dark oak and the man behind the desk was impeccably dressed. His short, black hair was slicked back and his blue uniform was so clean that you probably could have eaten off of it. “Harold my good man I don’t want to be bothered for the rest of the day unless it is very important,” said Ash and the way he stressed very meant it had better be a matter of life and death.   
Ash flipped the man a coin as the clerk answered, “Yes sir.”  
Ash led Maria to the old fashioned elevator ant let her step inside first then followed her. The elevator started to rise just as Maria observed, “Nice digs you’re staying in Ash. You’ve come up in the world.”  
“Well a hundred and thirty some years will do that for you if you’re smart,” said Ash, grinning slightly.  
Maria just shook her head and didn’t comment. They exited the elevator and entered Ash’s hotel room. Ash had a suite of rooms. He had a sitting room, a bedroom, and a bathroom, with a Jacuzzi tub. And in the sitting room was a table set for two filled with an assortment of food. Ash pulled out a chair for her and Maria sat down to the feast in front of her eyes. Ash took the opposite chair and pulled the silver lids off the food. There were eggs Benedict, fresh squeezed orange juice, toast, fruit, bacon and ham. “You keep feeding me like this and you’re going to have a fat girlfriend,” said Maria, only half jokingly as she began to eat.  
“You’re the one that wanted breakfast,” said Ash, taking a bite of eggs. Ash had learned to like human food over the last hundred years or so and he had to admit some human food was quite good.   
“Yeah, but not a feast,” said Maria, sipping her orange juice. “So what are we going to do about us?” Maria asked finally after she had eaten a little bit of everything.   
“I don’t know,” said Ash pushing his food around his plate. “I’m eternally glad I found you, but what we are going to do about it I just don’t know.”  
Maria looked at him and noticed his forlorn expression. “Ash; don’t look like that. I’m not going to leave you and I can tell that’s what you’re thinking. But I do need to finish high school at least.”  
Ash looked up and Maria saw some of the sadness go out of his expression, but some of it was still there as well.   
“Maybe you can come live with me?” asked Ash hopefully. “After; you finish high school of course.”  
Maria looked at him and sighed, “I don’t know, maybe once I turn eighteen and finish high school, but we have plenty of time to think about that, as long as you’re going to be town for awhile.”  
“Actually I came here on business, but I’m sure I can get Daybreak to give me some time off once I tell them the reason,” said Ash.  
“Oh so you’re still with Circle Daybreak? That’s good,” said Maria.   
“I’ve been with them ever since you I met you in the last life. Remember the good times we used to have with Circle Daybreak about 60 years ago?” asked Ash, his eyes changing to almost white as he remembered.  
“Yeah,” said Maria her expression turning sober as she remembered. Suddenly the phone rang and they both jumped at the noise. Ash picked pushed a button and the desk clerks face appeared on the screen, “Harold I thought I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed.”  
“I’m sorry sir, but it’s a Thierry Descouedres and he says it is very important.” And the way he stressed very important Ash knew he had better answer it.  
“All right put him through,” said Ash sighing, in annoyance. Thierry’s face appeared on the screen a minute later. “Okay Thierry what’s so all blasted important that it couldn’t wait,” asked Ash to the man on the screen.  
“Sorry Ash, but you know Seth,” said Thierry on the other end of the line.  
“Yeah,” answered Ash.  
“Well he’s on your trail and my sources tell me he’s out to get you,” said Thierry.  
“So what else is new,” answered Ash, sarcastically.  
“Yeah, but this time he has help, very powerful help. So watch yourself and your soulmate too.”  
Ash looked at Maria in surprise he hadn’t told Thierry he had found his soulmate yet. “How’d you know I had found my soulmate?” asked Ash the surprise registering on his face.  
“Let’s just say news travels fast,” said Thierry, grinning. “If I were you I’d take your soulmate and disappear for awhile.”  
“Maria can’t just disappear she has her last year of high school to finish and a dad to think of,” said Ash.  
Maria came into view of the screen and said, “Hi Thierry it’s nice to see you again.”  
“It’s nice to see you to Maria I just wish it was under better circumstances,” said Thierry.  
“Me too Thierry, me to, but Ash is right you know I can’t just leave my dad and I do have a whole semester of school to finish.”  
“You can always make up the school time and as for your dad, it’s better if you got away from him for a while. He holds a grudge against you and Ash both and you know how dangerous he can be. I’ll send a plane for you. It will be waiting at the airport,” said Thierry.  
Maria sighed nodding she did know how dangerous Seth could be. “All right, but only if we can get my dad to come along and if we do that we’ll have to tell him about you know.” She didn’t want to mention the Night World over the phone in case it was bugged.  
Thierry sighed, “I really would prefer if you didn’t have to do that, but I’ll leave it to your judgment. Do as you think as best.” He signed off and the screen went blank.  
As soon as the screen went blank Maria got up and hugged Ash fiercely, “Oh Ash what are we going to do?”   
“First off we’re going to get out of here,” said Ash, throwing some stuff into a suitcase. “Then we are going by your house to pick up some stuff for you and then we are getting on that plane and getting out of town for awhile.”  
“You think that is seriously going to help?” asked Maria. “Don’t you remember what he was like 130 years ago?”  
“Yes I do remember and if anything his resentment of us has grown over the years and he has a major vendetta against both of us, but particularly against me. So it is better if we get as far away from here as possible.” Ash finished packing, grabbed her hand and they headed towards the elevator.  
“Ah Ash don’t you think it would be a better idea to take the back way out instead of heading towards the main lobby where they can see us?”  
“You’re right of course,” said Ash. “We’ll take the backstairs.”

~~~A New Life~~~

Four men approached the Cutler house and the front door was kicked in as if it were made of paper. “Hey what is this?” exploded Fred Cutler as he came in from the kitchen at the noise. One of the men grabbed him and slammed him against a wall. “Where is your daughter? Where is Maria Cutler?” asked a big man with long, dark blond hair and black eyes. For; this was Seth the vampire that hated Ash with a vengeance.   
Fred Cutler just shook his head and croaked out, “Even if I did know I wouldn’t tell you.”  
“Then Mister Cutler I’m afraid I will have to kill you. If you answer me I might be tempted to spare your miserable life.”  
“I don’t know where she went,” muttered Cutler.   
“Ah, boss,” one of the men tried to interrupt.  
“Not now,” growled Seth. The man said no more for he did not want to cause his boss’s wrath.  
“And if you did?” Seth asked Cutler, his eyes turning a blood red.  
“I wouldn’t tell you,” said Cutler almost unconscious by this point for Seth was crushing his neck in one huge meaty hand.   
“Then Mr. Cutler you will die,” said Seth, his teeth beginning to extend. Seth leaned down as fast as a striking snake and bit into Fred Cutler’s neck drinking every drop of blood that ran in Fred Cutler’s veins. Fred Cutler’s last thought as he died was for the safety of his only daughter.” And all that was left of Fred Cutler was a body without a soul.

~~~A New Life~~~

“Ah Ash what are we going to tell my dad?” asked Maria as she sat beside him in a rented black sports car headed towards her house.  
“I don’t know, but we better think of something for we need to get on that plane and fast.”

~~~A New Life~~~

Maria nodded they were going off for parts unknown in Thierry’s private jet that he was sending for them. They approached Maria’s house five minutes later and Ash set the car on the ground in front of the house. Maria got out slowly she could sense something was wrong. “Ash something is wrong here,” said Maria.  
Ash looked at her and nodded, “I’ll go in first don’t follow me unless I say it is safe and if I’m not out in five minutes get out of here don’t come for me or anything. And I mean it Maria,” said Ash looking at her, sternly.  
Maria nodded all though she had no intention of following his instructions for if anything happened to him she would rather die by her own hands or someone else’s she didn’t know. But she could not live without him that much, she did realize.  
Ash approached the building as quietly as a stalking cat and entered a minute later. It seemed like forever before he called her into the building. She approached the house and entered to immediately smell the stench of death. She entered the den and gasped at what she saw. Her father lay on the floor not moving. “Is he... is he...de...ad,” Maria stuttered.  
“Yes I’m afraid so,” said Ash, looking at her and shaking his head, sadly. Then he was by her side and hugging her tightly to him. Maria just relaxed into his embrace. She would have liked to stay there forever, but she knew she couldn’t. Finally he let her go and said quietly, the anger evident in his voice. “A vampire did this. Every single drop of blood was drained from his body.  
“Seth,” growled Maria, in a low dangerous voice. Ash looked at her and saw the dangerous glint in her eyes.  
Maria burst into tears and dropped to her knees beside her father’s corpse. “I will avenge you dad. That I promise you,” Maria whispered, she silently placed a kiss on her father’s forehead then rose and silently began packing. There was nothing to hold her here now. She would go with Ash and she would avenge her father’s death even if it was the last thing she did.

~~~A New Life~~~ 

An hour later they were on their way. Ash had his cell phone in one hand talking to Thierry and was driving with the other. “They murdered him in cold blood Thierry,” said Ash, into the phone anger evident in his voice. “It was Seth that did it. Every ounce of blood was drained from her father’s body.”   
Thierry was understandably sympathetic. “How is Maria doing?”  
“Okay for the moment, but she had this very dangerous glint in her eyes when she saw her father’s corpse. I’m afraid she is going to do something, extremely stupid if I let her out of my sight for even a minute,” said Ash.   
“Like going to challenge Seth on her own?” Thierry asked.  
“Yeah and it has me worried,” said Ash, glancing at Maria’s sleeping form a bit worriedly. “Oh and Maria asked me to tell you that she wants protection for her friend Lynn and her family. Maria and her are; extremely close and she’s afraid that Seth will go after her if he finds that out.”  
“All right give me the address and I’ll send a few people down to keep an eye on her.”  
“Maria also asked me to tell you that she thinks Lynn is a lost Harman,” said Ash.  
“Oh?” asked Thierry, sounding extremely interested.  
“Yeah, Maria says that Lynn can sometimes see things that come true and even cause stuff to happen when she loses her temper,” said Ash.  
“Sounds like a lost witch all right,” said Thierry, sounding thoughtful. “Which; means the ones following her ought to be extremely careful in case she strikes out at the ones trying to protect her accidentally.”  
“Yes,” said Ash and he was about to add something else when Maria awoke. She had been listening to the conversation while half asleep.  
“Let me talk to him please,” said Maria, gesturing for him to hand her the phone. Ash handed it over reluctantly. “Thierry, Lynn would never hurt anyone on purpose it’s not in her nature,” Maria told Thierry.  
“I know Maria we’ll do our best to protect your friend,” said Thierry, soothingly.  
“I know Thierry, but if you just give her a message from me and tell her what’s going on she’ll believe you if I give you the password we use.”  
“Okay what is it,” asked Thierry.  
Maria told him and he wrote it down. “Would you tell her for me that I’ll contact her as soon as I’m able?”  
“Of course,” said Thierry and hung up. Thierry sat back in his chair and glanced at his soulmate who was sitting by his side.  
“So; Ash found his soulmate again? I’m glad he has not been a very happy person the last 60 years or so,” said Leigh. Thierry had just found his soulmate Leigh a few years ago after Hannah had died of old age. Leigh had all of Hannah’s memories and was a vampire as well. Thierry had, had to turn her into one when Ridge Redfern had run her off the road and nearly killed her and she would have died if Thierry had not been there to save her.  
“Maria thinks that her best friend may be a lost witch,” said Thierry. “And from what Ash has told me I agree with her.”  
“Which; means she could be dangerous. If she thinks her life is in danger she may react on the spur of the moment and not even realize what she is doing,” said Leigh.  
“Exactly,” said Thierry, looking at Leigh with such a loving expression that Leigh blushed under his gaze.  
She returned his look and then leaned down and kissed him on the lips and Thierry responded instantly to the kiss, deepening it until they both broke apart, breathless.  
“I’ll send Quinn and his soulmate,” said Thierry. Quinn’s soulmate Rashel Jordan had died years ago and then about a year ago he had found her again and he was a lot happier then he had been when Rashel had died   
“That’s good,” said Leigh, nodding approvingly at his choice. “But don’t you think you need more the two? After all Seth is extremely dangerous.”  
“What about James and Poppy?” asked Thierry looking at his wife.  
“Aren’t they away at the moment?” asked Leigh.  
“That’s right they are,” said Thierry. “Well we need to figure out someone else to send,” said Thierry, looking thoughtfully at Leigh.   
“What about the werewolf that just joined Circle Daybreak? What’s his name?” said Leigh, trying to remember.  
“Tim?” asked Thierry. “Is that who you thinking about?”  
“Yes Tim, why don’t you send him,” said Leigh.  
“Do you really think he is up for the kind of responsibility this mission will bring? I’ve heard some very negative things about him.”  
“How are we ever going to know what he is up for if we don’t give him a chance? Besides you know that most night people consider werewolves second class citizens.”  
“Alright, Tim is then I just hope your faith in him doesn’t get the girl hurt,” said Thierry. He didn’t say or killed because he didn’t want to think about what could happen.

~~~A New Life~~~ 

A few hours later John Quinn and Rachel Silverman were on a plane heading towards a small town in California. Which; is where Lynn and Maria lived. Tim was supposed to meet them there. Quinn had certain misgivings about adding Tim to their team, but Thierry had wanted to give him a chance. Rachel Silverman was the reincarnation of Quinn’s soulmate Rashel Jordan. Rashel had threatened him just before she had died that if he got himself killed and she did come back in another life then she would come all the way to heaven or hell and kick his butt. So he had survived although it had not been easy. This version of Rashel had curly black hair where before it had been straight and black eyes instead of green. Her build was also different, but she was still a woman of the streets. At least this version had a family all though not much of one from what Rachel had told him about them. She didn’t like to discuss her family much. From what he knew her father was abusive and beat her mother and her mother was a drunk and just took it, didn’t fight back. He tried to beat her to, but she had fought back and then she had run away and had lived on the streets for years until he had found her. She was an only child and had no sisters or brothers. She had most of Rashel’s memories, but there were a few things she didn’t remember, they would come to her in time Quinn knew.   
Before he knew it Rachel was shaking him for he had fallen asleep. “Wake up sleepy head,” said Rachel, kissing him affectionately on the lips. “We’ll be landing in a few minutes.”   
“I’m up, I’m up,” Quinn protested.   
“Yeah right you’ll go back to sleep if I let you, but we do have a job to do remember?” asked Rachel, glancing at him.  
Quinn groaned and stretched his stocky frame as much as he could in his seat. He opened his black eyes and stared at Rachel. That was a little bit of Rashel’s personality coming through. His short black hair was slightly mussed from sleeping, “All right,” said Quinn yawning so wide he cracked his jaws. “I’m up.”  
“Good,” said Rachel, looking at him lovingly. “Prepare for landing.” 

~~~A New Life~~~

A few minutes later the plane landed and Quinn and Rachel exited the plane Rachel carrying a duffel bag. The duffel bag contained stakes a bokken and numerous other items that could kill vampires. In her other life she had been a vampire hunter and in this life she still remembered those old skill although she wouldn’t kill unless absolutely necessary. That was how she differed from the Rashel of old. Rashel had killed and could kill even when it was not absolutely necessary.  
Rachel and Quinn got their suitcases off the plane and then they headed to the car rental agency. There should be a car waiting for them they knew, but sometimes stuff got a bit messed up. They entered the car rental agency and Rachel strode up to the desk Quinn following behind. “Can I help you miss?” asked the man behind the desk.  
“Yes you can. My name is Rachel Silverman there should be a car waiting for me.”  
“Let me check,” said the clerk, punching keys on his computer. “No there is nothing here for a Rachel Silverman.”  
“What about John Quinn,” Quinn spoke up from beside Rachel. The man typed in a few more keys and then shook his head. Rachel sighed in frustration and Quinn put a hand on her shoulder before she did something stupid.  
“We might as well take a cab and let me tell you Thierry is going to be paying our cab fare for as long as we have to take them,” said Rachel.  
“Perhaps it is under another name?” suggested the clerk.  
“Try Thierry Descouedres,” suggested Quinn, not really holding out any hope of it being there.  
“Could you spell that?” asked the clerk.  
“T-h-i-e-r-r-y D-e-s-c-o-u-e-d-r-e-s,” spelled Quinn.   
“Ah here it is,” said the clerk. “Somebody put it under his name by mistake. It says you get the four-door Toyota. I will have somebody take you out there it has already been paid for the next week.”  
“Good,” muttered Rachel, still annoyed. Why can’t places like this ever get their paperwork straight? Rachel asked Quinn telepathically.  
It doesn’t happen every time you know, said Quinn.  
It happens too, often for my taste, Rachel answered.  
Quinn just seemed to mentally shrug and didn’t answer her. “This way,” a voice suddenly said from in front of them and they both jumped for they had been so involved in each other that they had not noticed him walk up. They followed him and a few minutes later they were on their way.

~~~A New Life~~~ 

“So I understand that you were transferred here,” said the principal whose name was Ian McGovern as they sat in his office the next day. It was 8 o’clock on a Monday morning and they were trying to get into the same classes as Lynn. Tim was with them his shaggy brown hair hanging past his shoulders and his puppy sad brown eyes flicking around the office looking for danger.  
“Yes sir,” answered Quinn.  
“Where is the paperwork?” asked the McGovern, looking at all three of them. One with his black hair, black eyes and stocky frame who was also inhumanly handsome and his eyes made him look older, centuries older in fact. The girl also with black hair, except curly and brown eyes, looked like she could take on any mugger who dared to attack her. The; last one with his long, shaggy, brown hair and brown eyes with hints of silver. There was something strange about these three. For one thing the black haired boy and girl seemed to be sitting extremely close together. The principal knew true love when he saw it. As for the other boy he kind of reminded him of a puppy. No that description was not quite right he reminded Ian of a wolf—a very dangerous wolf.  
“The paperwork should be on its way sir,” answered Rachel. Hopefully they would be gone before they realized there was going to be no paperwork.  
“All right, you may head towards your first class,” said McGovern, handing them each a schedule. “But if the paperwork doesn’t get here within the next few days, we are going to have a discussion about that.”  
“Yes sir,” answered Quinn sighing mentally. The things he did for Circle Daybreak, he thought  
They walked to their classes together. Quinn and Tim had history together while Rachel had math. Quinn and Tim walked into their class and handed the teacher the note from the principal. The teacher read the note and then said, “Class please say hello to our new students—John Quinn and Timothy Malcovicci.” The class said hello as one and then the teacher said, “John, Tim please take your seats.”  
Quinn flinched at the use of his first name and said, “Just call me Quinn ma’am,” said Quinn, taking a seat at the back of the class his eyes roving around the room looking for Lynn. Finally he spotted her over in the corner her head down. He couldn’t see much of her face at the moment. I’ve found her, he sent telepathically to Rachel.  
Good, Rachel sent back. Hopefully this will all be over soon. I forgot how boring school could be; said Rachel, seeming to yawn telepathically. Quinn cut off the contact and started studying the girl. She had long blond hair, so blond in fact that it was almost white. It also had red highlights running through it. The girl lifted up her face as if she had felt him staring at her. She was quite pretty. Not as pretty as Rachel of course, but pretty nonetheless. Her gray eyes were slightly slanted with dark circles underneath them and she had dark skin as well as full lips.  
He could sense the sadness radiating from this girl in palpable waves. He tried to read her mind, but all he could get from her was what had happened to Maria. He could sense from her that she was extremely worried about her friend. Suddenly a door was slammed in her mind and Quinn was so shocked that he barely got out in time. Lynn was staring at him now an open question in her eyes, but then she turned towards the front and continued to listen to the lesson, ignoring Quinn for the rest of the class. 

~~~A New Life~~~

A week went by and Quinn could tell Lynn was beginning to get suspicious. Rachel thought it was just his imagination. “Ah excuse me Quinn,” said the principal approaching him one day about a week after they had gotten there.  
“Yes, Mr. McGovern?” asked Quinn, suspecting he already knew what the man was going to ask.  
“Your paperwork has still not arrived Quinn and if it doesn’t arrive within the next few days I’ll have no choice, but to send you back to your old school.”  
“I’ll see what I can do,” said Quinn. McGovern nodded and headed towards his office and Quinn headed to his next class.

~~~A New Life~~~

Later that same day Lynn approached him at lunchtime and literally dragged him into a more quite corner. “Why have you and your friends been following and watching me?” asked Lynn. “And you had better give me a; honest answer because your life may depend on it.”  
Rachel, he called mentally. Could you and Tim get your butts down here I’ve got trouble.  
What’s the trouble? Rachel asked.  
Lynn’s got me backed into a corner and I really don’t want to do anything, because I might hurt her, answered Quinn.  
All right we’re on our way, responded Rachel.  
“Ah if you’ll let go of me,” said Quinn soothingly. “I’ll explain.”  
Lynn loosened her grip slightly, but didn’t let him go completely.  
“Can we sit down somewhere and discuss this like grownups?” asked Quinn. Lynn let go of him, but still kept a hand on his arm. Suddenly Rachel and Tim ran up and Rachel sized up the situation and immediately sprinted towards Quinn. “It’s okay Rachel,” said Quinn. “I’m okay we were just going to somewhere more private to discuss it.”  
Rachel nodded and a look of love passed between them.  
I told you she was getting suspicious why couldn’t you have listened? Quinn asked mentally.  
Rachel mentally shrugged and didn’t respond, but followed Lynn as she led them outside and around the back. “All right who are you and why have you been following me?”  
“We bring greetings from Maria,” said Quinn.  
“Maria sent you?” asked Lynn, in disbelief. “How do I know you are telling the truth?”  
“She told us to tell you that Venus is in the seventh house,” said Rachel.  
At the look of shock on Lynn’s face they knew she believed them. “Maria and me are the only ones that know that particular pass phrase,” said Lynn, letting; herself slide to the ground. “Who are you?”  
“I’m Quinn this is Rachel Silverman, and Tim Malcovicci. We work with an organization known as Circle Daybreak.”   
“It might be better to discuss this after school. say at your place,” suggested Rachel. Quinn nodded agreeing with her.   
“All right after school then I want an explanation.”

~~~A New Life~~~

Right after lunch Lynn was headed towards her next class when the high school bullies approached. Tim who was following behind saw that there was going be trouble and Quinn and Rachel both weren’t around to help out so it looked like it was up to him.  
“Hey Lynn,” said one of the bullies, “Where’s your little friend?”  
“That is none of your concern. Now if you’ll excuse me I have a class to get to,” said Lynn, trying to dodge around them.   
The bully whose name was Vic tried to grab her arm, but before he could do anything Tim was there beside her. He gave Vic and his friends such a fierce look that they backed off, slightly. “Who’s your friend?” one of the bullies asked, looking at Tim nervously.  
“Leave her alone,” growled Tim. He was unsure as to why he felt so fiercely protective of this girl. He just knew that he would protect her with his very life if need be.  
Tim growled again and the bullies backed off another step. Vic the main bully was the only one brave enough to approach him and when he did Tim’s eyes turned almost all the way silvery and his expression turned dead serious, almost deadly. Vic threw a punch and Tim ducked and then threw one of his own. It landed right in his stomach, making Vic loose what little breath he had left. Finally Vic decided it wasn’t worth the trouble and turned to leave with one final warning. “He won’t always be there to protect you so I suggest you watch your back.”  
“Thank you for protecting me Tim,” said Lynn slowly. “But I can take care of myself!”  
“It was my pleasure,” said Tim, and as he turned away his hand brushed against her arm and there was like an electrical flash that surprised them both and they were in each other’s mind, What’s; going on, were Tim’s and Lynn’s first frantic thoughts. They could see into each other’s minds. Tim’s mind Lynn realized was a strange place. She could actually see his memories and feel what he was feeling. His mind was mostly different colored lights as well as planes and angles, but there were some dark places and suddenly she could see his memories. The memory was of his parents being killed by wolves, leaving the baby Tim to survive on his own at the tender age of five. That’s awful! Lynn thought, not realizing Tim could hear here thoughts.  
Get out of my head! Tim exclaimed, trying to force Lynn out of his head.  
That’s not what it should be like, said Lynn.  
So some of us have led a tougher life then you, said Tim, angrily still trying to get her out of his skull. Tim for his part could see into Lynn’s thoughts to and feel what she was feeling. Lynn was shocked for one, Tim realized. Nothing remotely like this had ever happened to her before or to him either for that matter.  
They broke apart after what seemed like an eternity and to their relief nobody had seemed to notice, their dazed state.   
But Rachel noticed and she smiled. “Soulmates,” she whispered, almost sad. But she had found her soulmate so why was she so sad? She didn’t know, maybe she was just wishful for something she didn’t yet comprehend.  
Lynn and Tim meanwhile had jumped away from each other trying to figure out what had happened. Tim already suspected what it was and was in denial.

~~~A New Life~~~

“So how are you doing Maria?” Ash asked. They had gotten on Thierry’s private jet and the pilot had flown them to parts unknown and now they were staying in a safe house until the danger was passed. That was a week ago.  
“Bored,” muttered Maria.  
“I know you’re bored. So am I, but we need to stay here at least for the moment,” said Ash. He had not let Maria out of his sight in a week, for he was afraid she would do something stupid if he did. He tried to keep her distracted, by making love to her, playing card games and doing whatever it took. But she was still bored and worried about her friend. Their safe house was being watched twenty-four hours a day by members of Circle Daybreak. A couple of times Ash had caught Maria staring off into space and when he had asked her what she was thinking about she would reply nothing.   
Every night a member of Circle Daybreak would come to the house and let Ash drink his or her blood since he couldn’t get out too hunt. Most of the candidates were human, but a few were witches and Ash took just enough to satisfy his hunger.  
Ash looked at his watch and noticed that they were late tonight. Suddenly just as he was about to go look for food there was a metallic squeal then a crash. Maria looked up at first surprised, then fearfully. Ash knew that sound it was the sound of the front door being knocked off of its hinges.  
“Come on Maria,” said Ash, “It’s time for us to get out of here.” Ash picked her up and silently headed towards the backdoor until there was another crash and the backdoor too was gone. Ash looked around frantically for a way out of this situation and the only option he saw was one of the upstairs windows. He headed upstairs and opened a window looking around to see if anybody was around. There were two men standing guard on the ground and he looked around frantically for another option. “Go without me,” said Maria looking at him. Ash looked at her the shock registering on her face. “You can make it if I wasn’t weighing you down.”  
“I’m not leaving without you,” whispered Ash, harshly. Finally making a decision when he heard them coming up the stairs he jumped out the window and as silently as a stalking cat took out the two men. Maria clung to his back and held on as tightly as she could. The two men were only human so it was easy to hit them on the head from behind. Ash ran as fast as he could and headed on foot to the airport. When he got far enough away from the house he called a cab.   
Less then an hour later they had taken to the skies and headed towards a new unknown destination.

~~~A New Life~~~

“Someone betrayed us Thierry,” said Ash, angrily into the vid phone. “We barely got out of there alive.”  
“You don’t know who it was; do you? We need to stomp out this infection and soon,” said Thierry, glancing at Leigh worriedly.  
“I don’t know I really didn’t get a look at any of their faces. The minute the door was kicked in I just picked up Maria and got out of there,” said Ash.  
“You think it was Seth . . .?” asked Thierry, letting the rest of the sentence trail off.  
“Or some of his minions,” said Ash, finishing Thierry’s thought. “Yes I do. In fact I could swear that Seth was not among them last night.”  
“How do you know if you didn’t get a good look at their faces?” asked Thierry.  
“Just a feeling, but you know Seth always leaves the dirty work to his people,” said Ash. “Usually,” he added as an afterthought.  
“Just be careful Ash, Seth is a very dangerous vampire,” said Thierry.  
“I know, I know,” said Ash. “I just want all this running and hiding to be over forever.”  
“Well the only way it will be over forever is if you kill Seth,” said Thierry.  
Ash sighed and then said, “Goodnight Thierry, hopefully this will all be over soon.” Then he hung up the vid phone and just stood there thinking for a very long time.

~~~A New Life~~~

School was over and Quinn, Rachel, Tim and Lynn were all gathered at Lynn’s house. “So where’s that explanation you promised me?” asked Lynn.  
Quinn and Rachel looked at each other and Quinn gave a barely discernible nod.   
“Well you see we belong to an organization known as Circle Daybreak,” Quinn began.  
“Yes you mentioned that earlier. Just what is Circle Daybreak?”  
“Before we tell you that we need to tell you a few basic things first,” said Rachel.  
“Like?”  
Quinn paused. How would she react to being told about vampires, shapeshifters, werewolves, and witches? That they all really existed? Finally he began to speak after what seemed like an eternity. “There is a world that most humans know nothing about known as the Night World,” Quinn began. He paused again, briefly, “The Night World is a secret society full of vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters and witches.”   
Before he could continue Lynn interrupted, “You’re saying that vampires, werewolves, witches and shapeshifters actually exist?” Lynn asked. “I don’t believe it, you guys must be insane.”  
Quinn sighed, got up and came towards her. And then he slowly let his canine teeth extend and as he did his appearance changed slightly. He became even more handsome, if that was possible. Seeming to shine with an Inner Light all his; own.   
Lynn gasped and backed away, but Quinn didn’t come towards her. He sat down and slowly his fangs disappeared. He was just a normal boy again, except inhumanly handsome.  
“So it’s true,” said Lynn, truly shaken.  
“Quinn,” said Rachel reprovingly, “Don’t scare the poor girl to death.”  
“Well, I had to make a point or we’d be here all night trying to convince her,” said Quinn, looking at Rachel.  
Rachel sighed and shook her head, but said nothing more on the subject. “Now Circle Daybreak is an organization made up of humans, witches vampires, shapeshifters and werewolves. Its main goal is to help humans and the Night World get along and to live in peace with each other,” Rachel paused and Quinn continued the explanation.  
“Your friend Maria is in terrible danger and so are you from a very ancient and evil vampire known as Seth. So we have her stashed in a safe house somewhere until all this is over.”  
“Question,” said Lynn speaking up for the first time in nearly half an hour. “Why would Circle Daybreak care to protect an ordinary girl like Maria and why is Seth after her?”  
Rachel and Quinn looked at each other again. Here was where the explanation got difficult. “You see,” Quinn began, trying to find the right words to explain the soulmate principal to Lynn. “Maria was no ordinary girl she is what we call an old soul. Old souls are humans who just keep coming back life after life,” Quinn paused unsure of how to continue. Finally he said, “Have you ever heard of the soulmate principal?” When Lynn shook her head he said. “The idea of the soulmate principal is that there is someone so perfect for you, that once you meet them you will never be totally happy again if you are separated from them. It doesn’t matter if you are human or vampire it strikes everyone.”  
“Like me and Quinn,” said Rachel and then she continued before Tim could stop her and said, “and like you and Tim.”  
Quinn and Lynn both looked surprised at this announcement, but Tim only sat and stared a solemn expression on his face. “Is it true Tim,” asked Quinn; a smile lighting up his whole face.  
“It’s true,” muttered Tim, running a hand through his shaggy brown hair.  
“That’s great,” said Quinn, but when Tim looked at him sullenly he shut up. The look of Tim’s face said it all. He didn’t want a soulmate now or ever, but Quinn had felt the same way at first. Tim could come around in time. He would either have to or go insane.  
“Maria, in her other life was a girl by the name of Mary-Lynnette Carter and she and Ash Redfern met one day and the soulmate principal struck them both.”  
“And Ash is a vampire right?” asked Lynn quietly.  
“Yes, Ash used to be totally arrogant as a matter of fact so did I, but when he met Mary-Lynnette that all changed and he became a totally different person, a person who cared what happened to other humans whom he used to think of as vermin and food. Now when Mary-Lynnette died about sixty years ago, Ash was a very unhappy person until he found her again and in this case Maria.”   
“So Maria and this guy Ash are soulmates,” said Lynn, almost thoughtfully. “But what about this guy Seth.”  
“Seth is a vampire, who has a vendetta against Ash and his soulmate,” said Tim, speaking up for the first time without first being spoken to. “Seth is very dangerous and also very evil. If he thinks you know where Maria is he will come after you. He did after all murder Maria’s father in cold blood.”  
“So that’s who murdered Maria’s father I wondered and Maria asked Circle Daybreak to protect me,” said Lynn.  
“Yes,” all three answered at the same time.  
Lynn was thoughtful for a long time and it was nearly half an hour later when she spoke again. Quinn had almost fallen asleep when she finally did say quietly. “I believe you if only for the reason that Maria and me go back a long way and for the fact that pass phrase you gave me has special meaning for both of us. She would have told no one she didn’t trust absolutely and I mean no one.” By now the sun was beginning to go down and it was getting to be dinnertime and Lynn got up and began to prepare dinner for her and her friends. Her mother was gone for a few days so she had the house all to herself.  
“Just one question I thought vampires couldn’t venture out into the sunlight how come you can?” Lynn asked Quinn as she came back into the den after putting supper on to cook.  
“Oh that, that’s just a myth. It’s true that new vampires are sensitive to sunlight, but it won’t kill us,” said Quinn, “I mean look at me, I’m over five hundred years old and the sunlight hasn’t killed me yet.”  
Lynn looked surprised, but she supposed she shouldn’t be. You could tell a lot from a person’s eyes and Quinn’s seemed older then his years would seem to indicate.  
“All right who wants hamburgers?” asked Lynn. Quinn and Tim shook their heads, but Rachel nodded.  
“It’s time I went out to hunt anyway,” said Tim. “I’ll be back in an hour.”  
“Hunt?” asked Lynn.  
“Werewolves have to eat to you know,” said Quinn calmly. “But they always hunt animals. It’s against Night World law for a werewolf to hunt a human, because werewolf kills are unmistakable.”  
Tim was a werewolf? She supposed she should have known if nothing else the eyes and the way he moved kind of gave it away. He moved like a predator ready to spring on a prey. Lynn sat down, heavily. Her soulmate was a werewolf. How did these things always happen to her?

~~~A New Life~~~

Ash and Maria lay in bed together and Ash couldn’t get to sleep for some reason. Finally in the wee hours of the morning he dropped into a light doze. When he awoke a few hours later Maria was gone from beside him. He got up and started shouting her name frantically. Then he began to panic. He went out front and shouted her name. The he turned around and saw the note stuck to the front door with a knife. He took it down and read the note. It read:

If you want to see your soulmate again you will meet me tomorrow night at midnight at a warehouse on the West Side of town. You know the one. Be there or your soulmate will die.

Seth

“Noooo!” screamed Ash. Seth had Maria he had to save her. He put in a call to Las Vegas; he didn’t care how early it was. The phone rang at Thierry mansion for what seemed like forever until a sleepy voice answered. It was Thierry’s personal cell phone. “Hello?”  
“Thierry something terrible has happened,” said Ash and he told him everything he could remember.  
“Well have a team together and meet you at the safe house in a few hours. Don’t go after her alone Ash it’s too dangerous.”  
“Just hurry up or I will go alone danger or no danger,” said Ash. Thierry had already; began to move by this point pulling on a pair of pants as Ash talked. Thierry heard Ash hang up and he put the phone down to pull a shirt over his head. Leigh was already getting dressed for she had heard everything. “Oh no; you’re not going,” said Thierry.  
“Yes I am. I am not going to have to worry about you getting killed besides Ash is my friend to,” said Leigh determinedly.  
Thierry sighed; he had seen that expression before on Hannah’s face when she had still been alive. She was either going with him or she would follow him and maybe get herself killed. “All right, but you do not leave my side the whole time understand,” said Thierry sternly. Leigh nodded, hid a smile at his expression and continued to get dressed.

~~~A New Life~~~

A few hours later that seemed like forever to Ash, Thierry, Leigh, Delos, and his soulmate as well as Nilsson showed up on the doorstep of the safe house dressed and ready for action. “It’s about time,” Ash exclaimed, when he saw them. It hadn’t actually taken more then three or four hours, but to Ash it had seemed like forever. Thierry and the others came inside and they all started dusting for prints. They didn’t find anything until they dusted the dagger. It had a set of prints on it which once Thierry faxed them to the crime database they kept of all known Night World villains they found out who they belonged to.   
“His name is Dean Redville and he is one of the Night World’s top assassin’s,” said Thierry, calmly.  
Ash shivered, “I’ve heard of him. He’s one nasty fellow. If Seth hired him then we have got to find Maria and fast.” He headed out to the car waiting for them. By now it was after ten o’clock at night and they would be there early which was a good thing for it gave them time to come up with a plan. Ash gave Nilsson the address as Nilsson slipped behind the steering wheel then he just sat back and stared out the window worried about Maria. He had been unable to contact her through their link which either meant she was unconscious, to far away or dead. And Ash did not want to think about that third option.   
“Are you okay Ash?” asked Leigh, touching his arm gently.   
“I’m fine Leigh,” murmured Ash. “I just can’t help but think this is all; my fault,” pain flickered across his face and his voice sounded anguished when he said it. It sounded like he was just about ready to cry, but was holding his emotions in check.  
“How so?” asked Leigh.  
“If I had just kept my eyes open and not fallen asleep this might not have happened,” said Ash, his voice still anguished.  
“You may be a vampire Ash, but even vampires need to sleep, eventually,” said Leigh, quietly. “You couldn’t keep your eyes on her every minute.”  
“She’s right you know,” said Thierry who had been listening to the conversation silently.  
Ash sighed and did not respond lost in his own thoughts. Will he be okay? Leigh asked Thierry telepathically  
I don’t know. If we rescue Maria I’d say yes. If we don’t . . . the thought seemed to pause for a few seconds as if looking for the right words. I just don’t know, he finally said.  
Leigh sighed and turned to stare out the window. She became lost in her own thoughts. She was extremely worried about Ash and Maria as well. Worried about a girl she had never met now wasn’t that strange? But she was Ash’s soulmate a reincarnation of one of her best friends when she had been Hannah Snow. She just hoped they could rescue her, without getting her hurt or killed because that would tear Ash apart. As if sensing her dark thoughts Thierry laid a hand on her shoulder gently just letting her; know he was there if she needed him. She looked up at him and smiled wanly, then turned back to stare out the window again. 

~~~A New Life~~~

After dinner Quinn and Rachel slept on the couch while Tim stood guard. They were going to make sure nothing happened to Lynn, even if it meant sacrificing their lives to do it. Tim was supposed to wake them in four hours so they could take their turn at standing guard. A few hours later that seemed like minutes Quinn and Rachel awoke to the sound of Tim growling. Quinn was on his feet instantly and Rachel was there beside him a moment later.  
“What’s the matter Tim?” asked Quinn.  
“There’s someone approaching the house and he smells . . .” Tim paused, as if searching for the right word, “evil is the only way I can describe it.”  
“All right, battle stations everyone,” said Quinn, as calmly as he could. “Be prepared for the fight of your lives.” Werewolves’ noses were extra sensitive to smells and things, being part dog anyway so Quinn was not surprised that Tim smelled something before he did. “Rachel why don’t you go upstairs and wake Lynn, get her ready to get out of here if it becomes necessary.”  
Rachel nodded and headed upstairs just as the door got knocked in. On the other side of the door was a vampire. His hair was a greasy black and he had little black beady eyes. He stunk of grease, sweat, dirt and also the stench of pure evil, which was very nearly overpowering, especially for a vampire and werewolf with sensitive noses.  
“Move aside,” growled the man trying to get to the stairs.  
“Not on your life,” said Quinn.  
“No, on yours,” said the assassin, coming towards them. Suddenly before the assassin could take another step farther into the house a ball of energy so powerful struck him in the chest, then engulfed him in a halo of pure energy. He just withered there, not even screaming, until Rachel came down the stairs and threw a stake directly into his heart. You could say one thing for her she was a good shot. The energy disappeared and Lynn who had been responsible for it collapsed onto the landing of the stairs her energy drained.  
“What was that?” asked Tim stunned and shaking to his very bones.  
“That was our lost witch putting an end to one vampire assassin,” said Rachel calmly.  
“But how?” asked Tim, still confused.  
“I don’t know,” said Rachel, moving towards Lynn and checked for a pulse. “But we better get her out of here just in case Seth sent more then one assassin to kill her. I woke her up and told her we had to get out of here. She only nodded then seemed to go into a trance and before I could stop her she exited the room. Then came to stand on the landing, muttered something I didn’t understand and then the ball of energy shot out and you know the rest.”  
Quinn and Tim only shook their heads making no comments.

~~~A New Life~~~ 

“All right we are here,” said Ash quietly. “Now what are we going to do?”  
“You’ll go in alone like he wants and we’ll be there if you need us, but it is mainly your fight,” said Thierry.  
Ash nodded and strode boldly to the warehouse door and flung it open calling out at the same time, “All right I’m here now where’s Maria,” yelled Ash, into the dark warehouse.  
A figure approached from the other side of the warehouse and Ash could see his evil grin even from here. “So Ash you came alone how very stupid of you,” said Seth, his long blond hair hanging loose down his back. Seth gestured and four more vampires appeared two on each side of him.  
“No of course not I’m not that stupid,” said Ash, calmly also gesturing. Thierry, Leigh and Nilsson appeared on one side while Delos and his soulmate Maggie appeared on the other. Actually her name was Veronica, but she hated it so she went by her name in her past life.  
“Ah so you brought company. You’re not as stupid as I thought,” said Seth.  
“They’re not here to fight unless it is necessary. They’re just here to make sure you don’t cheat,” said Ash, calmly.  
“Me cheat? Ash you wound me to the very core,” said Seth. As he said this he threw something towards Ash’s head.  
“Ash look; out,” cried Maggie, for she saw the move before anyone else. Ash fell to the ground letting the stake, which was what it was, whiz past him and end up hitting the wall on the opposite side of the warehouse, near the door.   
As quick as lightening Ash was on his feet again and moving towards Seth.  
“You don’t cheat huh?” asked Ash, “what a laugh. You know I’ve been meaning to ask you why you hate me so much. What did I ever do to you?”  
“What did you ever do to me?” asked Seth, in a voice full of anger and regret. “Because it is your fault I am like I am,” Seth practically shouted it. All this time they had been steadily approaching each other and now they stood not more then a foot apart. “Everybody said you were the perfect vampire that you would make the council one day. They asked me why I couldn’t be more like you, and then you started to change. Nobody knew why at first, but rumors were flying all over the place. One was that you had found your soulmate and she had changed you to such an extent that you wanted nothing more to do with the Night World, period. Certain night people were ordered to hunt you down and either; make you change back to your old ways or to kill you,” Seth paused for a minute then continued. “I was one of those people and I was the only one that came back alive. Everybody called me a coward after that thinking I had run away and left the others to die, but the truth was that I just didn’t have the guts to kill you or your soulmate at the time. But that all changed the day they threw me off the council, saying I was a coward. Then I began to hate you and was determined to kill you once and for all,” Seth paused again, “But after over a century and half I still haven’t succeeded, I figured it was time for me to die, permanently and I want you to kill me Ash.”  
The others who had been listening in rapt attention to this story gasped at this last sentence. “I won’t kill you just because you want me to,” said Ash, feeling truly shaken for maybe the first time since he had found his soulmate.  
“Then your soulmate will die and I will make it my job to kill her every time she comes back in another life,” said Seth, grinning. Thierry flinched after hearing that for Maya the first vampire ever had done that to his soulmate life after life. That particular statement hit a little to close to home.   
“First prove to me that Maria is alive then I might consider it,” said Ash, calmly, while inside he was shaking.  
“She put up quite a fight,” said Seth as he led Ash towards the back of the warehouse. “The only reason we got her was because she came outside. I think she was sleepwalking.”  
So that’s what happened, Ash thought. She was sleepwalking and went outside not realizing the danger and Seth who was waiting for the perfect moment grabbed her.  
Seth led Ash to a room at the back of the warehouse. When Ash stepped into the room and saw his soulmate, tied up and gagged he rushed to her side, checking for a pulse. He found one, but it was weak. “I need to get her to a hospital,” said Ash, in a voice filled with pain and sorrow.  
“Not until you do as I have requested Ash, beat me in a fair fight and kill me. It is the only way,” said Seth. “My men have been ordered to let you go after you kill me.”  
Ash sighed and said, “I really don’t want to do that.” When Seth looked at him, raising an eyebrow Ash explained, “We might be enemies and you might have kidnapped my soulmate and it is true I’m tempted by you offer. . .” Ash paused and let the rest of the sentence hang in the air unfinished.   
“But you won’t do it,” Seth finished for him. Ash shook his head sadly looking at his old enemy, not with contempt, but with pity. “Then I will force you,” said Seth moving faster then the eye could follow he picked up Maria and put arm around her throat ready to crush her windpipe if Ash did not comply with his demands. Maria was only half-conscious, unaware of what was really going on. They had given some kind of drug that had just knocked her out. Ash’s shoulders slumped in defeat and he nodded, sadly. “Why don’t you join Circle Daybreak?” suggested Ash, in a last minute ditch effect to change Seth’s mind.  
“Me a damn Daybreaker?” asked Seth astonished. “I don’t think so. Now let’s get on with it shall we.”   
They both walked back into the main part of the warehouse and Ash walked over to Thierry and the others. “Maria’s alive—although barely we need to get her to a hospital and soon. I also tried to talk Seth out of fighting, but he insists he wants an honorable death.”  
“Did you ask if he wanted to join Daybreak we could use someone like him,” said Delos and Thierry nodded agreeing with him.  
“Yes, I did and his exact words were me a damn Daybreaker I don’t think so,” said Ash repeating what Seth had said. “So I guess it’s a fight. He said his men have been ordered to let Maria go after I kill him I don’t know if they will follow it or not so you’d better watch out.”  
Ash turned and walked towards Seth slowly. Seth was waiting for him and they began to circle each other wearily. “Come on Seth there is more to live for then you may think,” said Ash while still circling, waiting for Seth to make the first move.  
“Like what?” Seth snarled.  
“What about all the good times? The laughter, the fun?” asked Ash.  
“What laughter? What fun?” Seth asked. “I’ve led a miserable few centuries.”  
“That’s because you don’t know how to have fun. You just have to learn how to take the good with the bad,” said Ash. Finally Seth made the first move and feinted towards Ash’s left side, but then punched towards his right so fast you could barely see the fist as it moved. It was barely more then a blur.  
Would Ash win? Delos wondered. He and Ash had never been that close, but they respected each other and Delos would hate to see him killed. Ash avoided the blow Seth threw his way although barely and threw a punch of his own at Seth’s stomach. Seth avoided the blow and threw one of his own. And so it went for more then half an hour. Ash; throwing a punch then Seth throwing one while everybody just watched hoping for the best. One side hoping Seth would win the other hoping Ash would.  
“Come on finish it,” panted Seth, half an hour later.  
Ash did not reply and threw a particularly mean uppercut towards Seth’s jaw. It knocked Seth backwards, into a pile of boxes. “Finish it,” ordered Seth weakly.   
Ash looked down at his old enemy and shook his head, “No I will not kill you instead you will go on living wondering why I just didn’t finish you off; when I had the chance.”  
“I will track you and your soulmate down and kill you and her both,” threatened Seth, although still a bit weakly.  
“You can try, but Maria and I are going to disappear to where no one can find us ever,” said Ash.  
“Damn you Ash Redfern, damn you,” said Seth, angrily.  
“No damn you, Seth. For you don’t have the guts to go on living and put up with life. Instead you want me to kill you and get your suffering over with. Well I won’t do that I will make you go on living make you face the world and yourself. How you go from there is a choice I leave to you,” said Ash as he calmly strode to the other room picked up Maria and walked back to the others. “Let’s get out of here and get Maria to a hospital.”  
“That was a very brave thing you did leaving Seth alive,” said Delos. “He could come after you, you know.”  
“I know, but when I gave up my old ways I gave up killing for no reason and killing Seth would be for no reason at all,” said Ash, holding Maria in his arms as Nilsson drove towards the hospital.  
Delos nodded in understanding and even agreeing with Ash, but it was still a very dangerous thing to do and it could come back to haunt him if he wasn’t careful.

~~~A New Life~~~

A few minutes later Ash was pacing as the doctors looked over Maria. He didn’t know if she would be okay or not, but he was praying she would be. “Quit pacing Ash you’re gonna wear out the floor,” said Leigh jokingly.   
Before Ash could respond the doctor approached their group. “Ah Mr. Redfern my name is Ben Grievers. I am your friend’s doctor,” said Grievers shaking Ash’s hand. Grievers was pretty young for a doctor not more then 30 or so, Ash noted. He had light brown hair, green eyes, was well-muscled and about 5 feet 11’ inches tall. “If I may have a word with you in private, please,” requested Grievers.  
“Anything you have to say you can say in front of my friends,” said Ash quietly, gesturing to where everybody was seated.  
“As you wish,” said the doctor. “Maria Cutler, is stabilized, but in a comma. If she comes out of it within the next 24 hours or so she will be okay if she doesn’t well . . . Grievers left the rest of the sentence unfinished. He didn’t have to say it if she didn’t come out of it soon she would either die; or be in a coma forever.  
“Can I see her doctor?” asked Ash quietly almost pleadingly.  
“Well you really aren’t family,” said Grievers  
“I’m the only one she has doctor her father was killed just recently by someone trying to rob her house,” said Ash smoothly.  
“All right, but you can only stay for a few minutes and your friends have got to stay out here,” said Grievers, sternly. Somehow he felt as if the wool was being pulled over his eyes. Oh he believed that Ash Redfern was a close friend and there for considered family, what he didn’t believe was the fact that her father had been killed in a simple robbery. He didn’t know why he was suspicious, maybe it was Redfern’s smooth way of talking or maybe it was the fact that a large number of his friends were inhumanly handsome or maybe. . . No all these thoughts were just his imagination they had to be for they were leading him down a long dark corridor and he didn’t want to go there. “This way,” said Grievers to Ash.   
Ash nodded and said to his friends, “I’ll be right back.” The others just nodded knowing this was Ash’s moment. The doctor led Ash to a room and then left him alone. Ash entered and sat in the only chair the one by Maria’s bed. “Oh Maria how could this happen,” murmured Ash into her hair. “I have just found you again and this happens.” He was almost crying by this point. “You’ve got to be okay, because I don’t think I could survive another 60 or 70 years without you by my side,” Ash’s voice broke on the last word. Suddenly before he knew what was happening he was in her mind a place of darkness as well as light, of angles, curves and straight lines. At the moment it was more darkness then light. “Maria,” he called telepathically. “Are you in here?”  
No one answered him at first then he heard a weak voice crying. He traced the sound as best he could in the dark landscape. “Maria?” he called again. Suddenly the crying grew louder, seeming to come from all directions at once. Ash walked towards the sound trying to filter out the echoes her crying was causing. Finally he saw her she was sitting in a circle of light while outside that circle was nothing but darkness and the circle of light was shrinking little by little. The circle of light was life and hope while the darkness was despair and death. If the light disappeared completely then Maria would be dead to him for another 60 or so years. He couldn’t let that happen he had to save her, somehow.  
“Maria, sweetheart it’s time to go back,” said Ash.   
Maria looked up and saw Ash and stopped crying for a minute. “Where are we Ash?” asked Maria, looking around in confusion at her surroundings.  
“We’re inside your mind. Right now you are laying in a hospital bed in a coma,” said Ash. “We have got to go back the doctor says if you don’t come out of it soon you could die,” said Ash, his voice heavy with sadness and despair.  
“Then leave me to die I have nothing left to live for,” said Maria. “My father is dead and with him gone I might as well die to.” As she said this her circle of light shrunk about a foot. Maria was letting despair take over. Every time she said something negative the circle of light shrank. Once it was all gone she was doomed.  
“Maria you have me, Lynn and Circle Daybreak. All of us will help you get through this, but you have to come back in order for us to help you. I love you, I adore you and I don’t think I could live another 60 years without you by my side.”   
At his words the circle of light began to spread again and Ash took that as a positive sign. “Please Maria just take my hand and I will help you out of here,” said Ash. Maria rose slowly and reached for his hand tentatively at first then with greater strength. Just as they were about to touch the darkness began to close in on them. It was like the darkness was alive and determined not to let Maria escape. Ash grabbed her hand just before the darkness swallowed up the rest of the light and before they even realized it they were back in there own bodies.   
Ash looked up with a start and looked at Maria’s slack face. Was it his imagination or had Maria’s eyes blinked? He looked again and gave a whoop of joy as Maria opened her eyes and yawned as if she had just awoken from a long nap.  
Grievers came in just then and was about to tell Ash he had overstayed when he saw Maria was awake. He came forward and Ash stepped out of the way to let the doctor do his work. “It’s a miracle,” said Grievers, just shaking his head in astonishment. “I really didn’t expect her to come out of it at all. And certainly not this soon in any case,” he muttered to himself. Ash looked at his watch and was astonished to see it had only been a couple of hours at most.  
“Will she be okay doctor?” asked Ash.  
Grievers turned his way in astonishment not even having realized that Ash was still there. “Yes I do believe she will be okay, but I want her to stay here for the next 24 hours at least, for observation,” said Grievers Ash nodded, “And I want you to go home and get some rest,” said Grievers “I don’t want to see you again till regular visiting hours got it?”  
“Yes sir,” said Ash humbly and left with Grievers watching him go.  
“So how is she Ash?” asked Nilsson quietly before anybody else could speak up.  
“She’s going to be okay,” said Ash. “She woke up while I was in there.” There was a hidden meaning behind his words, but his expression warned then not to ask till they had a bit more privacy. “She’s supposed to be released tomorrow. The doctor wants to keep her here for observation overnight.”  
“Thank goodness for small favors,” said Thierry.   
“Yeah,” said Ash suddenly looking tired.   
“One of us at least needs to stay here and watch over Maria just in case Seth tries something again,” said Thierry suddenly all business. “And no not you Ash,” said Thierry, when Ash was about to speak up. “You need to go to the safe house and get some sleep.”  
Ash didn’t protest and just nodded. For suddenly he was so tired, so emotionally drained that he could barely keep his eyes open. He would have to trust someone else to protect Maria at least for a few hours. “I’ll stay,” said Thierry.  
“And I will to,” said Leigh. Thierry looked like he was about to protest, but Leigh just gave him that look and he shut up. He knew better then to argue when he got the look that said I’m-staying-so-don’t-even-think-about-protesting.  
“The rest of you need to head back to the safe house and get some sleep and come and relieve us in six hours,” said Thierry. The others turned to leave and left Leigh and Thierry alone together sitting on a hospital couch.

~~~A New Life~~~

The next day Maria was released as promised and Ash was there to pick her up. Luckily nothing had happened the night before at the hospital and all had been peace and quiet. Maria was feeling a lot better, but was glad to get out of the hospital. Maria had been extra quiet on the way back to the safe house and Ash glanced at her every few minutes worriedly.  
“Ash,” said Maria, so Quietly Ash had to strain to hear her.  
“Yeah?” asked Ash keeping his eyes on the road.  
“I think I want to join Circle Daybreak,” said Maria.  
“You’re sure?” asked Ash.  
“Yes, I want to stop the kind of injustices that have happened to me from happening to other people,” explained Maria, quietly.  
Ash looked at her, a silent tear sliding down his cheek. He was so proud of her. Maria seeing the tear wiped it away and kissed him on the cheek.

~~~A New Life~~~

One month later

Ash and Maria were staying with Thierry until they could find a place of their own. They didn’t want to overstay their welcome, but Thierry insisted they were welcome to stay as long as they liked.  
“Maria,” Ash said when he saw her in the hallway, “you have someone waiting to see you in the den.”  
Maria raised and eyebrow wondering whom in the world it could be for she didn’t know very many people in Las Vegas. She entered the den and saw a long blond haired girl facing away from her. Suddenly the girl turned and Maria gasped. Before she knew it she was running forward and she and Lynn were hugging each other. For that was who it was Lynn her dear friend of many years. Ash smiled and then closed the door to give the two some privacy. “What are you doing here Lynn?” asked Maria, as they both sat down on the couch.  
“Why to see you of course,” said Lynn, smiling.  
“But how did you find out where I was?” asked Maria still puzzled.  
“Ash invited me down here he said you were moping around and he thought a visit from me might cheer you up.”  
“I’ll have to thank Ash later,” said Maria. “So how long are you staying for?”  
“Forever,” said Lynn. “I joined Circle Daybreak and the witches in the circle are trying to help me learn how to control my powers.”  
“That’s great,” said Maria, hugging her friend again.  
“You knew I was a lost witch didn’t you?” asked Lynn quietly.  
Maria sighed then said, “Not at first no, it wasn’t until I got my memory back that it kind of all clicked into place.”  
“I also found my soulmate,” said Lynn. Tim and her; had absolved their differences and now they were inseparable as two people can possibly be.   
“That’s great,” Maria exclaimed. “So when do I get to meet him?” asked Maria.  
“Right now he wouldn’t let me come unless he came with me,” said Lynn. “He’s so overprotective of me,” said Lynn.  
“Well so is Ash,” said Maria. “I think all soulmate couples are like that, because the pain of losing your soulmate is nearly unbearable. I’ve even heard of some cases where people who lose their soulmate especially violently go insane and have to be put in a home, where people can keep an eye on them twenty-four hours a day so they don’t kill themselves.”  
Lynn shuddered and said, “What a horrible thought. I hope that never happens to me or Tim.”  
“Me to,” said Maria.   
They were both silent for a moment then Lynn called, Tim’s name, “Tim come in here for a moment please.” At first nothing happened then the door to the den slowly opened to admit a man with long, shaggy brown hair and brown eyes with hints of silver. He was well muscled, but also lean. He was a werewolf Maria realized. She could tell because of the ring he wore on his right had. It was all, gold with a black foxglove on top. It was used as a kind of family crest or seal.   
“Nice to meet you Tim,” said Maria, shaking his hand.  
“You to Maria, Lynn; has told me a lot about you,” said Tim.  
“All good I hope,” said Maria, jokingly.  
“Of course all good,” Lynn said, before Tim could answer. Tim looked at Lynn lovingly then sat down beside her, holding her hand. They talked for a long time and Maria was glad to see Lynn so happy. It wasn’t that she hadn’t been happy before, but she was much happier now. She and Lynn had both found their soulmates in the same month. How lucky was that? Now Lynn; and her would both have years to be happy. To have their soulmates by their sides always until the day they died. Hopefully though there would be many more lives for both of them, but even a witch could not tell that far into the future. So they all would just have to take their chances and hope for the best, but isn’t that what life was all about? This was not the end, but only the beginning for all of them.

The End


End file.
